Military warns citizens on Boko Haram’s fresh tactics

Director of Defence Information Col. Rabe Abubakar, who spoke at an interactive session with reporters in Abuja yesterday, said troops had captured five of the 100 wanted Boko Haram suspects.

Col. Abubakar explained that following the degrading of its firepower, dispersed elements of the sect now use dangerous cluster bombs for suicide missions and innocuous packages that attract curious passers-by.

The Defence spokesman warned citizens to be security-conscious, adding that children should not pick unknown objects.

He stressed that Boko Haram used such misplaced curiosity as a tool for killing many.

His words: “Boko Haram elements have now resorted to using deadly cluster bombs or Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which they plant on the body for suicide missions or as cluster bombs, which are packaged and dropped in places where they can arouse the curiosity of innocent persons.

“Even children should be taught not to pick up any object they see on the streets because cluster bombs and IEDs could be deceptively laid there. Besides, when explosion incidents occur, do not go there out of curiosity but let the security agencies that are trained to handle such, do so.”

Hailing the nation’s media for their competency and patriotism, he expressed the military’s dismay about how untrue assertions were being spread on the social media.

Col. Abubakar added that it would not serve any good to disseminate anything that could negatively affect the morale of troops.

“The war is not about religion at all because extremism has no basis in religion. Everyone must do his part in terms of civic responsibility because, if all goes well, it is for all of us,” he said.

He urged citizens to volunteer information about suspicious persons or objects to enable security agencies end insurgency.